Need help with the CCRN?

The cost for a first attempt at the CCRN test is $250 for candidates who are members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and $365 for non-members. If you need to retake the test to pass or you take it for CCRN renewal purposes, the cost will be $175 for AACN members and $280 for non-members.

To be admitted to the CCRN exam, you must provide two forms of identification. The first must display your photo and signature. The second must show your printed name and signature. If you take the paper and pencil version of the test, special pencils will be provided for marking answers. Any notes you take during the exam must be turned in before you exit the exam room. There is no eating, drinking, or smoking in the test site and any breaks are part of your testing time.

It is highly recommended that you take the online version of this test. In doing so, you will have your score immediately after you finish testing. Paper-and-pencil test results take six to eight weeks to arrive.

You can apply to take the test at the site of the CCRN certifying body.

There is a passing score that is derived from overall performance on the test prior to your testing date. Contact local testing officials to find out more about the score you’ll need to pass.

Providing care to critically ill clients requires an additional level of expertise. Having a CCRN certification confirms that you are up to the task and will enable you to be considered for jobs requiring these advanced skills. These jobs may include care of adult, pediatric, or neonatal clients. (This test prep only deals with the adult CCRN assessment.) The setting of such jobs may vary as well. Critical care nurses are needed in not only ICUs of various types (cardiac, medical, surgical, etc.), but also in these nursing environments:

• Emergency room
• Flight/transport care
• Remote locations
• Trauma centers

To take the CCRN test, you must have:

• A current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license
• A set amount of accumulated hours of actual practice with critically ill clients (with verification)

There are also renewal options. Specific details about all requirements can be found beginning on page 7 of The CCRN Exam Handbook.

A general goal of the medical community is to employ only certified nurses in each field, and critical care is a vital area for coverage with opportunities for employment in many situations and locations. You are much more likely to obtain your choice of position and feel competent performing your job if you are critical-care certified.

According to Ameritech (College of Healthcare), critical care nursing is one of the top seven nursing specialties in terms of income, with a median annual salary of $80,000, compared to the median salary for RNs, which is about $67,000.

The CCRN test is available at 300 AMP testing centers nationwide. To find information about registering, go to page 11 of this CCRN Policy Handbook.

The CCRN (adult) test is about three hours long and contains 150 questions.